Why Do We Get ‘Rabbit Ears’ When Nervous?

When we feel nervous or scared, our body gets ready to fight or run. Our ears react too, they puff up like rabbit ears because of a special kind of muscle inside them called the auricularis muscles. These muscles tighten and pull on the skin around the ear, making it look bigger. It’s like your ears are shouting, ‘I’m ready for anything!’

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Examples

  1. When you're about to give a big speech, your ears might puff up like rabbit ears because you're nervous.
  2. Your brother gets 'rabbit ears' every time he has to answer a question in class.
  3. You notice your friend's ears fluffing up when they see a spider.

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